Queen Mary welcomes first cohort of students on new ‘Year Abroad’ degrees

On Wednesday 3 October, the Global Opportunities team held an information session for students who have enrolled on Queen Mary’s new degree programmes with a year abroad this academic year. More than 250 students started on these new degrees in September, with many new first-year students attending the session who will be going abroad in 2020 during their third year.

During the session, students were provided with all the information they would need to prepare for their study abroad application, including detailed guidance on the application process, a taster of some of the institutions and global locations in which they can study, and practical advice on finance and welfare while studying and working abroad. They also had the opportunity to have their questions answered by the Global Opportunities team who will be working with students throughout the application process and during their time abroad.

We caught up with three students to find out their motivations for studying abroad and what they hope to gain from the experience:

Harry Gibney, International Exchange Programme Manager said of the event: “We were delighted to see so many students who have enrolled on Queen Mary’s new degree programmes with a year abroad attend our first information session. The Global Opportunities team is very much looking forward to supporting the students as they prepare for their time abroad at one of our partner universities.’’ Over 100 new ‘With a Year Abroad’ degrees were introduced across Queen Mary in 2017 and we can see from the first intake of students this semester that they have proved to be incredibly popular, with more students than ever before now having the opportunity to go abroad.

The Global Opportunities team are continuously adding to the destinations available, ensuring that an international opportunity is an option for all Queen Mary students. They have recently welcomed several new exchange partners, adding even more choice to the existing range of prestigious exchange partners around the world.

If you are interested in studying abroad, visit the Global Opportunities website to find out more, including which options are available to you and how to apply. You can also visit the Go Abroad Fair taking place on Wednesday 17 October in the Octagon, Queens’ Building, Mile End campus to speak with members of staff and students and have your questions answered.

Go Abroad Fair – Wednesday 17 October

The Global Opportunities team will be hosting their annual Go Abroad Fair on Wednesday 17 October, giving you the opportunity to find out about the various programmes on offer designed to provide you with an international experience.

Throughout the event, Global Opportunities and school staff, partners from host institutions and students from our partner schools will be on-hand to discuss the opportunities available and give insight into how you can benefit from a global opportunity; as part of or in addition to your degree.

There will also be representatives from Queen Mary’s student support services. The Advice and Counselling Service will be on hand to provide information on the support they offer to students who are preparing to undertake a period of study or work abroad, including planning for funding, Student Finance queries, advice on cost of living, as well as other practical guides for living abroad.